It’s the Little Things That Count

Consider this picture of a park bench:

It seems like an ordinary park bench until you learn about all the thought and detail that went into its design. The bench actually differs from American benches in several important ways. First, there are no arm rests. This allows several strangers to sit together on the bench, if they so choose, because they don’t feel like they’re forced to squish together. Instead, they can turn away and face out. In addition, the bench is double-sided, but there is space between the wooden slats because, let’s face it, no one wants their butt to touch a stranger’s butt. (This is a surprisingly important fact urban designers must know.) Finally, the bench is flat, so you can easily set down your drink next to you.

After learning all these details that went into designing this bench, I wondered why doesn’t everyone make benches this way. In fact, why doesn’t everyone add all the details the French have in general?

For example, French buildings are very readable. Important buildings will tell you their purpose if you pay attention to their details. Many will have an image of a ship, the crest of Paris. When we passed a school, the geography building had globes, the oceanography building had an octopus (!), and so on. Law buildings will have scales of justice. These are the types of symbols that make buildings readable, even if you know little to no French (like myself).

 

(very small) Parisian ship crest

Details like these are not usually present in American buildings, even classically designed ones. Rather, American buildings go for the big and bold look, without adding any finishing touches that may be small, but are truly remarkable. Little details, such as the additional designs or alternating segmental and triangular pediments (my personal favorite detail), can make a building truly stand out. The French pay attention to the very last touch, from a simple wooden park bench to grand governmental buildings. It not only makes for fascinating architecture, but also a city that it easy to understand and pleasant to use.

A Parisian water fountain.

I mean, even their water fountains are stunning. Caryatids! Come on, America, it’s time to start paying attention.